If Horatius Had Lived Today

By Jack Dionne

"Breathes there a man with soul so dead" that he has never been stirred to the heart at the reading of Lord Macaulay's great poem about the Roman hero Horatius?

Probably none who read English-

There is no finer inspiration to home love, and patriotism, and supreme heroism, than that mighty story in verse.

Lars Porsena, heading his horse of "thrice thirty thousand" warriors, all agleam with their burnished armor and accoutrements, threatened Rome. Between the city and the invading host swept the "Tiber, Father Tiber, to whom the Romans pray," and the saving of the city depended upon the destruction of the bridge across the river before the invading hosts could gain control of it.

So Horatius, with two gallant comrades, volunteered to hold the bridge until the Romans cut it off at the Rome end.

And how they did it is one of the greatest tales of song or story that the world has yet produced. A wonderful hero, was Horatius, and those were wonderful days.

If the same thing were to happen today, how much more simple the defense would be. Instead of Horatius having to oppose his sword to the foe until the bridge could be cut away, they would just turn a lever, raise the draw in the middle of the bridge, and the invaders would have to try some other means.

Or if there were no draw in the bridge, a nest of machine guns at one end would make it impassible to any possible attack.

Not so much different from the lumber business. There used to be times when the lumber dealer served his trade like Horatius did his beloved Rome. But those were oldtimey days. Today he improves that service just as we would improve our bridge defense over that of Horitius.

And that means no discredit to the dealer of THOSE days, any more than it does to Horatius. They were both good men in their time, and their methods were the best that THEN existed.

Today the aeroplane scouts of a threatened city would have reported the advance of the enemy, and there would be no work for brAve Horatius to do.

And today the lumber merchant canvasses his territory, discovers his prospects, arranges his stocks and his service, and does the "attacking" himself ; showing his wares, displaying his service, and selling his adversary even before the business reaches the "Tiber;" the competitive stage.

Of course, we still have many a brave Horatius in the lumber business; men who still-from a merchandising and service standpoint-fight in their heavy and cumbersome armor, swinging broadswords, etc., just as they did in the old Roman days; men who still wait for business to develop itself and corne to them, and who then gives them splendid "service" in the shape of "good grades, fair prices, and squaro dealing."

The modern merchant gives those things, of course, but does not consider them part of his "servicd." They are simply a few of the physical fundamentals of his business that every man has, and the possession of which is no particular credit.

The Lars Porsena's of today have got to be met with something more potent than arrnor and broadswords.

Fruit Growers Supply Company

Manufacturcrr of C,alifornia ltthitc and Sugnr Plnc Lumbcr Millr at Suranville and Hilt' CaL I5O,(X)O,(X!O Fcct Annud CrPacitY

B. W. ADAMS, Mgr. Salca DePt. Firet National Bank Bldg. . San Francirco

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